Men, read this closely: There little that is sexier than a man that can cook.
That’s right, guys. Looking for ways to impress me? Cook me dinner.
Since it’s summer, the best way to get a home cooked meal on the table is to leave the oven alone. Head outside and fire up that grill, y’all. Like any good ol’ Texas girl, I love a good cookout and I love a good steak. Go ahead and get some supplies together, you’re going to impress your woman with dinner.
P.S. You get bonus points for candles on the table and laying the silverware out correctly, but we’ll save that post for another time.
OK, so here goes nothing…
First step, skip the grocery store. Go directly to a butcher or a specialty meats store. You want to buy USDA Prime beef. Look for the tastiest cuts like the ribeye, New York strip, tenderloin (filet), or the T-Bone (New York strip and tenderloin connected by a bone).
Do not freeze your beef. Freezing beef is worse than kicking a dog. May you burn at the stake if you ever do either.
Don’t cook your steak until it’s at room temperature. Leave it out for about 30 minutes until it’s there. It’ll cook more evenly.
The purists will tell you to never touch your steak with seasonings or marinades. If you’re committed to doing this all the way and you’ve purchased your USDA Prime cuts, you should probably refrain from seasonings just so you can taste the real flavor such a cut of quality meat will have. I’m not telling you what to do here (well, I guess I sort of am) but you make the smart choice. You can always sprinkle a bit of sea salt and crushed pepper over the top once you’ve taken your first naked bite.
Heat your grill to high. Just do it. Brush a light coat of olive oil on the hot grate.
I’m going to stop right here, and make sure you will eat your steak at the correct temperature. Anything more cooked than medium is a waste of a good steak. Recognize.
Use a meat thermometer if you need:
120 °-125 °–Rare
130 °-135 °–Medium Rare
140 °-145 °–Medium
150 °-155 °–Medium Well
160 ° + –give it to your dog
After you’ve removed your steak from the grill, let it rest on the cutting board for at least 5 minutes. This allows all the juices to settle and redistribute throughout the meat, instead of just being locked in the middle and consequently running all over your cutting board if you cut it right off the grill.
Cut the steak into strips and place lovingly on your girl’s plate. Maybe next to a potato and some corn. Watch her take a bite and gain a whole new appreciation for you and your manly grilling skills.
You don’t have to tell her you learned it here. It’ll be our little secret.
Happy grilling!
Jenna Pacheco Quade
@sunnyjenna
